Estate Interiors

The Kuskovo country estate was built in full compliance with the tastes and rules prevalent in the life of the Russian nobility and the 18th century art. This is the compositional center of the Kuskovo ensemble, one of the earliest examples of the summer countryside residences in Russia. According to the design of its owner, count Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev, the Kuskovo country estate was intended to be larger and more beautiful than the estates of other nobles, and to be no inferior to the tsar’s residences. The construction of the estate was carried out in the 1730 s-1790 s on an area of over 300 hectares, including three parks: the French regular park, the English landscape park and the pond portion, a system of ponds and channels, small and large architectural and park ensembles. The Kuskovo estate was intended specially for guest reception and mass outdoor fetes. The most solemn receptions were held in the Palace.

The Kuskovo Palace was built in 1769-1775 by Moscow architect Karl Blank in the style of early classicism. The Palace was built from wood, the traditional material for Russia, plastered and painted in soft rosy colors. The entrance is made in the form of a high six-column portico with a front staircase and ramps decorated with the sphinx figures. The one-storey building with mezzanines rests on a high stone socle. The Palace’s layout represents an enfilade arrangement of its interiors. All the rooms are consistently grouped into three compositional groups. The largest group of the interiors is located in the western portion of the Palace and consists of 12 state-rooms. The other two groups of the interiors are concentrated in the smaller eastern portion of the building.

The Pavilion’s interiors are collective image of Dutch place, recreated by artistic means on the basis of the 18th century documents. Exposition consists of service and utility premises of the ground door: The Enter Chambers, The Kitchen; The Front Hall and The Desert Chamber on the second floor. A collection of Dutch encaustic tile is special part of exposition represented in wall covering of four interiors, a half of which is tile of original pavilion decoration of the 1st half of the 18th century.

The Italian House was used as a museum where various antiques were collected. The collection was situated in a vaulted gallery and in the rooms on the ground floor. The state rooms were on the first floor. They are furnished like the parlours for small receptions.

The original outlook of the pavilion didn’t completely preserve but during the restoration works in 1978–89 the original elements of its constructions, planning, decorative details аnd colour scheme were found out.